RECIPE #3915 CARAMELIZED ENDIVE SALAD Tuesday, November 7, 2006 - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports

Dustin Pritchett / Chef de Cuisine Sunset Grill

Caramelized Endive Salad

Braised Endive

8 heads Belgian endive, halved

1/4 lb unsalted butter, chopped

1 t sugar

1 t salt

1/2 c chicken stock

Orange Syrup

2 c orange juice

1/4 c honey

1/4 t salt

Candied Walnuts

1 c walnuts

1 pinch cayenne

1/4 c powdered sugar

1/2 t salt

Other Salad Fixins'

1/4 lb unsliced bacon, cut into 1/4 inch strips

2 pears ripe, cored & sliced

1/4 lb dry aged goat cheese (cypress grove, midnight moon)

1 shallot, minced

2 T olive oil

1 t salt

bunch of watercress, cleaned

For Endive

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place butter in large skillet on medium heat. Once butter has melted add endive, cut side faced down. Cook for about 5 minutes until the endive starts to turn brown.  Flip the endive over. Sprinkle the top with salt & sugar. Add chicken stock to the pan & place in oven for about 5 more minutes until the endive is cooked. (you can place the endive in the refrigerator & re-heat when you are ready to serve)

For Orange Syrup

Place orange juice & honey in a pot & reduce on medium heat to 1/2 cup of liquid. Add salt to taste. Cool.

For Candied Walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place walnuts in small pot of boiling water for 2 minutes & strain. Toss blanched walnuts with powdered sugar, cayenne & salt. Place on baking sheet & cook for about 7 minutes until they are lightly toasted. Remove from oven & cool.

For Bacon Batons

Cook bacon batons in sauté pan on medium-low heat until the outside of the bacon has turned slightly crispy. Remove from heat & drain the grease.

To Assemble Salad

Re-heat endive in oven until very warm. Toss watercress in bowl with shallots, olive oil & salt & place on center of plate. Sprinkle some candied walnuts on top & around the greens. Drizzle a little bit of the orange syrup on the salad & around the plate. Place 2-3 bacon batons on greens. Add sliced pears to the plate. Place two pieces of endive on top of each salad. Shave goat cheese on top of each salad & serve.

8 servings